A three-year-old boy has become the first patient in the world to be cured of a potentially fatal illness with a biodegradable implant made to the patient’s exact specifications by 3D printing technology, doctors have said.

The boy was one of three babies in the United States who underwent pioneering emergency surgery involving the insertion of 3D printed splints into their throats. These were designed to keep their windpipes open while allowing the infants to grow normally.